<p>I am rather good at standardized tests, that is not the question. I just read too slow, particularly the long passages. It's not that I am a bad reader or anything, I can read perfectly well, I just can never finish in time. How can I improve my speed but maintain my thoroughness? Any ideas help :)
P.S. I've tried starting with the questions and going back, but I end up having to read the whole thing.</p>
<p>Different strategies such as reading to a certain line to gain information on the answer you need is a common tactic that people taking the SAT use, rather than reading the whole thing and having to go back to remember bits and parts of the passage :))</p>
<p>Practice what you are doing and keep reading passages; there is only one way you will be progressing: that is up!</p>
<p>I learned to skip those main idea questions that are usually the first in the section. Move to the first question that directs you to a section of lines. Read those lines, and a few lines up and down for context. Then pick the answer. Continue doing that throughout the text (the line numbers progress in order). Answer the big “main idea” questions and all that after the whole passage is read in this piece by piece manner.</p>
<p>Good luck :)</p>
<p>there are a lot of tips on the internet </p>
<p>Take practice tests, it will help your reading speed for the types of content these tests have and also will help your pacing on the test so that you spend enough time reading to answer the questions but not so much time where you don’t finish.</p>
<p>Sorry OP.
You can not make a claim as “I am rather good at standardized tests” when you are deficient in your reading.
The fact is that, fast reading and answering techniques like ones listed above is what make a great standardized test taker.
And as we all know, non of which is a predictor of future success or intelligence for that matter.
So your claim could rather be that, you are intelligent, but not great with standardized testing especially reading.
Best of luck to you.</p>
<p>Remember, you do not need to answer the questions in order! Read the questions quickly to grab the easier ones (in line 10-12 the author states…) and leave the harder ones later. Practice ahead of time to decide which method is better for you… DD has a hard time taking in all the info and rarely is there a question that ask to summarize the entire passage. So read the questions, hunt for the lines that support and restate the question/ answer could be a better method for you. Strategies are key to attacking the ACT / SAT. Remember, this is not your English Lit class…there is only one correct answer and no one cares about your opinion…they always want to know what the author was stating, thinking, suggesting, comparing, alluding to, meaning.</p>
<p>The ACT … you do not have to read the passages in the order they are presented. If Natural Science is a better subject for you, then tackle that one first. Remember, there will always be the same 4 topics- Social Sciences, Natural Science, Prose Fiction, and Humanities. If Prose Fiction is your downfall, work on a strategy for that style and save it for the last. LOVE the Mike Barrett book “The ACT Test Prep Black Book” for loads of strategies and background info that really helped DD. Also one for SAT but very similar other than the SAT scoring info.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! I appreciate it
And btw @ccco2018 the last time I took the sat was in 8th grade, 720 M, 640 CR, 670 W, I was just too slow to get to some of the problems</p>
<p>And that is exactly what I am saying.
8th grade or 12th grade, the difference might be quite suprising as again, its not the content we are worried a bout here, rather “testing skills”.
I have herd 9th and 10 graders claiming their scores have change very little to none over the next 2 years by just continuing studying the content while retaking, but those that learned better testing skills and techniques saw more improvement.
Best of luck to you.</p>